This invention relates to devices for thoroughly cleaning various undesirable matter, such as leaves, pine needles, dirt, roof granules, sand, and other debris from gutters attached to both single and two-story dwellings or buildings where the gutters are elevated substantially above the normal reach of a person standing on the ground below such gutters. More particularly, the present invention is a device for quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly removing such debris from gutters, and various of the embodiments of the device may be adjustable or may be used in conjunction with a rake attachment or garden hose for physically removing washing residual debris from above or within gutters.
The general idea of attempting to provide a tool for cleaning gutters has previously been attempted, as indicated, for example, by Morgan U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,835, Earp U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,552 or Despaine U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,542. However none of those prior gutter cleaning devices provide the structure and efficient cleaning action of the device of the present invention. The Morgan and Earp gutter cleaners both comprise relatively complex devices in the nature of elongated tongs for grasping and lifting bunches of gutter debris from elevated gutters. The Despaine gutter cleaning tool consists of a fork-like device having elongate tangs which extend for substantial lengths from the handle of the device downwardly and laterally in one direction from the handle to fit in a gutter and extend well under the spikes by which the gutter is attached to the dwelling.
However such prior devices suffer a variety of defects which make them inefficient and impractical for thoroughly cleaning gutters. For example, many such prior devices are too wide to extend fully down into the bottom of the cross section of some gutters. Other gutter cleaning devices are too long to work effectively between closely spaced spikes by which gutters may be attached to dwellings, for example, particularly those near corners. Similarly, some gutter cleaning devices are inefficient in cleaning gutter corners. Other devices suffer an angulation problem in that the angle which the long handle makes with the actual cleaning device makes it extremely difficult to use for high gutters. Other former devices will clean in only one direction. Still other devices will not effectively pick up sand or roof granules.